According to Aristotle, the world’s first actor was Thespis of Icaria. In 534 B.C., Thespis astounded audiences by leaping on to the back of a wooden cart while reciting poetry as if he was the characters whose lines he was reading. As he began to expand his repertoire, he differentiated his personas by wearing various linen masks.
Thespis was born in Icaria, an Athenian village, presumably in 566 BC. He added tirades spoken by a single character, separate from the choruses. The expression “getting on Thespis’ cart” therefore means becoming an actor.
Margaret Hughes was an English actress often credited as the first professional actress on the English stage, as a result of her appearance on 8 December 1660.
There are no formal educational requirements for actors, but training is a good place to start. Actors can prepare a headshot, acting résumé, and demo reel and submit to auditions and casting calls.
Thespis has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the world of acting, including prestigious awards such as: Golden Acting Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Aeschylus invented what we now call drama when he wrote a play that featured two actors and a chorus, who symbolized the common people or sometimes the gods. Before this time, theatre performances were either storytelling or “choral” productions.